Low catechol-O-methyltransferase activity in a Saami population

✍ Scribed by B. Klemetsdal; B. Straume; T. Giverhaug; J. Aarbakke

• Book ID: 104658115
• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 469 KB
• Volume: 46
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0031-6970
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00192554

✦ Synopsis

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) catalyzes the O-methylation of catechol hormones, neurotransmitters and certain drugs. It is subject to genetic polymorphism and ethnic differences. High red blood cell (RBC) COMT activity has been correlated with a poor response to levodopa treatment in Parkinson's disease. RBC COMT was determined in a Norwegian population (n --213) of whom 115 were Saami (Lapps).

The Saami had 16.5 % lower RBC COMT activity compared to a non-Saami population sample from the northern part of Norway (n = 50), 13.9 vs. 16.4 units/ml RBC (U) (P : 0.04). This is the first report of any population with lower RBC COMT activity than a Caucasian population. A wide range of RBC COMT activities was found in the entire population examined (1.3-383 U).